[Utilization of an emergency department by elderly people in a university hospital in Santiago de Chile]. / Utilización del servicio de urgencia de un hospital universitario por los adultos mayores en Santiago de Chile.
Rev Esp Geriatr Gerontol
; 46(1): 27-9, 2011.
Article
em Es
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21296459
INTRODUCTION: An increase in visits to Emergency Departments by older adults has been reported, but there are no data available on this in countries in the early phases of demographic and epidemiological transition. This paper describes the characteristics of people over 60 years-old (AM) who visited the Emergency Department of the Hospital Clínico Universitario de la Pontificia Universidad Católica, Chile (SU-PUC), compared to those less than 60 years-old (AJ). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Demographic data and reasons for admission and re-admission were collected retrospectively from the SU-PUC monthly statistics report. Obstetrics, paediatrics and «scheduled admissions¼ were excluded. The frequencies were compared using Chi-squared (significance: P < .05). RESULTS: A total of 37,660 visits to the SU-PUC were recorded (81% AJ; 19% AM; with 8% being older than 75 years). No statistical differences were found in the visit time (70% daytime), or by season between the groups. A total of 7,414 (19.6%) of those who visited were hospitalised, with differences being detected between groups (AM: 48.9% vs 12.9% AJ; P < .001), particularly in those over 75 years (59%). The primary cause of admission was cardiopulmonary in AM (22%) and gastrointestinal in AJ (31%). Re-admissions were 10% in AM and 6% in AJ (P < .001). CONCLUSION: The use of SU by AM and some characteristics of their care process (hospitalisation) are similar to those found in countries in more advanced phases of demographic transition.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Serviço Hospitalar de Emergência
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Chile
Idioma:
Es
Revista:
Rev Esp Geriatr Gerontol
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Chile
País de publicação:
Espanha